RFID Forum

The very fundamenta & basic

2008-01-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

Passive RFID Tags vs. Active RFID Tags An RFID tag is a small device that can be attached to or incorporated into a product and transmit data to a reader using radio waves. RFID tags have antennas that allow then to receive and respond to radio-frequency queries from an RFID transceiver. RFID tags come in two varieties: active and passive. Active RFID tags have a built-in power supply, such as a battery, as well as electronics that perform specialized tasks. By contrast, passive RFID tags do not have a power supply and must rely on the power emitted by an RFID reader to transmit data. Thus, if a reader is not present, the passive tag cannot communicate and data. Active tag can communicate in the absence of a reader. Passive RFID Tags Passive tags are comprised of three elements: an integrated circuit or chip, an antenna, and a substrate. The RFID chip stores data and performs specific tasks. Depending on its design, the chip may be read-only (RO), write-once, read-many (WORM), or read-write (RW). Typically, RFID chips carry 96 bits of memory but can range from 2 to 1000 bits. Attached to the chip is the antenna, whose purpose is to absorb radio-frequency (RF) waves from the reader’s signal and to send and receive data. Passive RFID tag performance is strongly dependent on the antenna’s size: the larger the antenna, the more energy it can collect and then send back out. Larger antennas, therefore, have higher read ranges (although not as high as those of active tags). Antenna shape is also important to the performance of the tag. Low-and high-frequency (LF and HF, respectively) antennas are usually coils because these frequencies are predominantly magnetic in nature. Ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) antennas, on the other hand, look similar to old fashioned TV antennas (rabbit ears) because ultrahigh frequencies are solely electric in nature. The third component of a passive RFID tag is called a substrate, which is commonly a Mylar or plastic film. Both the antenna and the chip are attached to the substrate, which may be thought of as the “glue” that holds all of the tag’s pieces together. In contrast to active RFID tags, passive tags are usually smaller and less expensive. Active RFUD Tags Like passive RFID tags, active tags have both a microchip and an antenna. The chip, however, are usually larger in size and have greater capabilities than the RFID chips in passive tags. Active tags have two additional components that differentiate them from passive tags: an on-board power supply and on-board electronics. The power supply is usually a battery, although it can also be solar. The built-in power supply allows the tags to transmit data to a reader on its own, without the need to draw power from the reader itself like passive tags do. In addition, active tags can be read from distances of 100 feet or more, whereas passive tags can only be read from up to about 20 feet. On-board electronics may consist of sensors, microprocessors, and input/output ports, all of which are powered by the tag’s on-board power source. The electronics allow active RFID tags to be used in a wider range of applications than passive tags. For instance, perishable foot products may be tagged with sensors that collect data than can then be used to determine expiry dates and warn the end user that the item may be spoiled. Even though many products have expiration dates printed on them; these dates are valid only if the product is stored under the optimal conditions (temperature, humidity, exposure to light, etc.) for that type of product. Thus, the product may expire before the printed date if it is not stored properly. An RFID tag equipped with a temperature sensor might be able to predict the actual expiration date of a carton of milk, for example, which may be very different from the printed date. Whether you choose to use active or passive tags in your RFID system will likely depend on both your particular application and your budget.

Mexico invests in highway work

2008-01-21T21:19:00.000-08:00

A healthy US$5.5 billion budget will be invested by Mexico's federal government on nationwide highway infrastructure projects during 2008. One of the key projects is for a bypass connecting Amozoc with Perote in Puebla and Veracruz states respectively, reports Business News Americas. Other projects include work in the northern part of Mexico City and the Morelia-Salamanca highway, linking Michoacán state with Guanajuato state. In 2008 southeastern Veracruz state will renovate a number of highways as well as maintaining feeder roads. One of the state's priorities is the bypass for capital Xalapa, with construction scheduled to start in late March or early April. Another project due for development is the Laguna Verde-Gutiérrez Zamora stretch of the Tuxpan-Tampico highway, which will connect Veracruz with neighboring Tamaulipas state to the north. Key tasks are the construction and modernisation of toll-free national highways, maintaining the federal network and developing the rural road network. Toll highway construction is another target and there are 11 projects under construction at different stages in their respective concession processes and all of them are scheduled for completion in 2008. Amongst those scheduled for works completion soon are the Amozoc-Perote highway, linking the states of Puebla and Veracruz; the Tepic-Villa Unión highway, connecting eastern Nayarit and Sinaloa states; and the Morelia-Salamanca highway, between the states of Michoacán and Guanajuato. Significant investments are also scheduled for the 221km Arco Norte of the Mexico City beltway, which is due for completion in December having started in January 2006. Recently awarded concessions include the Arriaga-Ocozocoautla highway in southern Chiapas state, which started in December 2007.

Congestion hits Dubai's GDP

2008-01-21T21:17:00.001-08:00

Traffic congestion in Dubai results in annual losses of US$1.25 billion, equivalent to 3.15% of GDP. According to Dr Abdul Malek Ebrahim Abu Shaikh, head of Transportation Studies and Planning at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), transport policy and concomitant legislation have to strike a balance between demand and supply. He points out that at 541 cars/1000 population, Dubai has higher car ownership than New York (444), London (345) and Singapore (111). Furthermore, if current purchase trends continue, Dubai will have 5.3 million registered cars by 2020. As a result, measures will have to be taken to discourage car usage and promote public transport. Under consideration are limits on the number of driving licences to be issued, an increase in vehicle registration fees and higher road tax. There is currently insufficient road capacity, which is the main cause of congestion. However the number of roads now crossing the Dubai Creek will have increased from 40 to 47 by the end of 2008, while nine new ring roads will be in place by 2020. Existing road projects are absorbing $2.178 billion of new investment.

Warp factor growth

2008-01-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

Authorities in Shenzhen, the Chinese city abutting Hong Kong which is growing at close to warp speed, have taken the first step toward introducing a scheme to charge motorists for using downtown roads during peak hours. The move is being made in a bid to ease the metropolis's worsening traffic situation. According to the Shenzhen transportation bureau, the number of cars on the city's roads has been increasing by an average of 15%/year, with the total reaching one million in March. Officials reaffirmed the effectiveness of a road-pricing scheme after studying a similar system in Singapore and consulting with experts from the city-state last month. "We have just completed the first step. There is no timetable for the launch of the system and we will solicit feedback from local residents," an official surnamed Che at the government body responsible for handling traffic-related issues told a recent issue of China Daily. In an unusual move official media quoted a survey by the news website www.people.com.cn that found half of the 84,490 people polled supported the scheme, with 44% of respondents against it on grounds of cost.

醫療數位化在家看病不是夢

2007-12-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

在家看病不再是夢想，隨著數位科技的精進，醫療工業也大量採用數位產品作為輔助，從RFID、寬頻上網、遠距監控…等，都廣泛運用在醫療上，台北市立聯合醫院更引進甲骨文（Oracle）最新的醫療衛生解決方案，讓台北市立醫院邁向全面M化的醫療院所。 RFID讓病患多層保障 RFID無線射頻辨視系統目前早已廣泛運用在門禁控管、停車場管理、動物晶片、圖書館管理、悠遊卡等方面，運用在醫療上也相當普遍，在藥房內可數位化管理藥品，避免配藥時出錯，同時醫護人員佩帶RFID識別證，利用RFID來控管醫療人員門禁，防止非相關人員進出、藥品的庫存管理及藥品取用權限管理。目前萬芳醫院也運用在病患手環上，取代傳統的塑膠手環，病患進出口設置RFID門禁管制，尤其是精神科和加護病房病人追蹤管制、急診病房病人的門禁，都可用RFID無線管理。可開發具量測體溫、脈博主動式RFID手環也已上市，目前主要應用在安養中心及重症病患之遠端即時監護，病患配戴RFID手環可主動傳達出病人即時體溫，讓醫護人員於遠端監控。 PDA成醫師好幫手 目前長庚、榮總、恩主公、和信、萬芳、三總都已採用PDA作為醫療輔助器，PDA只是一具可判讀和輸入的終端機，病患入院時配戴RFID手環，病患緊急開刀、輸血時，只要醫師手持PDA就可無線感應認證，可避免開錯刀的烏龍事件。另外，PDA也是醫師作為連結醫院資料庫的行動瀏覽器，醫師看診記錄、查詢病患檢驗報告，都可利用PDA內建的Wi-Fi或是GPRS傳送和下載最新資訊。 M化醫療時代來臨 目前已有台大、萬芳、三總、慈濟…逾70家醫院導入PHS系統，病患的緊急檢驗報告，利用內部網路或是簡訊，隨時提供給主治醫師和病患，尤其是對等待病床的患者，可以在最短的時間內得到適切的醫護。另外，行動醫療也是目前各大醫院發展的重心，GPS衛星定位、行動電話也大量運用在新型的醫療器材上，在歐美國家已有將RFID晶片植入病患體內，醫護人員就可以即時測量心跳、呼吸、血糖等資料，甚至透過遠端傳輸，醫師就能遠距監控患者情況，給予適當的醫療建議。遠傳與和信電信也推出手機直撥880，接通後按0，就可接至亞東醫院，不管是預約掛號、客服諮詢、洽詢處方箋，甚至是特約門診、美容門診，只要一個號碼即可撥通，這些都是M化帶來的便利。 遠距照護是未來主流 國內的世網多媒體公司新發表「立見mCare遠距照護系統」，醫護人員可以利用PC或筆記型電腦，結合廣角攝影機，或是PDA和智慧型手機，以遠端連線方式，對病患進行身體健康SOAP服務流程，這也是一種創新的「數位醫療中心」（Digital Hospital Center）的概念，讓過去醫療院所只能定期到照護機構替病患進行檢查，變為主動式、即時式的身體檢查。 台灣醫療電子廠商的遠景 醫療器材產業是一項複合關聯性產業，台灣在光電、通訊、電子、半導體產業發展成熟，再搭配上如塑膠、金屬元件、機械等規模完善之傳統產業，具有相當之產業群聚優勢。為提昇國內微型化或居家用醫療電子產品的國際競爭力，躋身國際市場，廠商應藉由引進前瞻技術來製造高附加價值的醫療產品，並可利用我國在IT產業之優勢，進行異業聯盟來提昇產業價值鏈，並與跨國型企業合作發展行銷通路。未來，隨著研發能力與創新技術的進步，進而促進產業的複合升級，不僅可提升整體產業競爭力，亦是能夠成功搭上下一波醫療電子市場成長列車之重要策略。

0.1秒辨奧運門票真偽每張都有防偽晶片

2007-12-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

每張門票都有防偽晶片技術成熟成本僅為5元攝像頭輔助驗證現在最熱門的無疑是北京奧運會的門票，那它究竟是什麼樣呢？日前，向北京奧組委捐贈RFID（Radio Frequency Identification，無線射頻識別）門票系統公司的負責人向外界解開了奧運門票的神秘面紗：奧運開閉幕式門票實行實名制，但門票的防偽晶片內不含個人資訊，而是以全球惟一的序列號，在終端驗票機上對應個人的照片、姓名等資料。就像公交車IC (UU) 卡一樣，觀眾只需拿著門票在驗票機上一刷，驗票機就能在1/10秒內驗出票的真假。 “密匙”限次啟動否則門票作廢 該公司奧運門票技術負責人任弘舟向記者介紹，所有的奧運門票上都有一個長寬1毫米的晶片。可別小看了這個“小家夥”，晶片裏有全球惟一的序列號，對應著驗票機上的一把“秘密鑰匙”，這些首次在奧運會門票上使用的高科技手段，能將假票拒之門外。他解釋說，奧運會時將有1200多萬張門票，每一張門票的晶片，都擁有全球惟一的序列號。 “序列號可以包含漢字以外所有的字元，組合方式也可以隨機挑選。” “即使有人僥幸猜出了序列號，但絕對無法攻克‘密匙’難關。” 任弘舟說，“密匙”就像是保險庫的鑰匙，安裝在驗票機裏。如同隨機產生的用戶名和密碼，必須兩者匹配才能順利進入比賽場館。如果像電影裏的駭客那樣，使用超級電腦無限制比對用戶名和密碼，“密匙”會被攻破嗎？任弘舟搖著頭說，絕對不可能攻破，每一個“密匙”都有訪問次數限制，在一定次數內沒有啟動“密鑰”，這張門票將會作廢。 晶片不會洩露個人隱私 奧運會開閉幕式門票將實行實名制，如果將個人資訊存儲在票內的晶片上，萬一門票丟失，會不會洩露裏面的資訊呢？對此，任弘舟解釋說，購買開閉幕式門票觀眾的私人資訊，將存儲在遠程服務器上。在驗票同時，開閉幕式查驗設備將根據晶片的全球惟一代碼，在係統中查找購票者的資訊，包括：照片、姓名、性別、國籍、年齡、購票時有效證件號碼。這些信息同時顯示在驗票機後的大螢幕上，幫助工作人員比對。“票內不含任何個人資訊，絕對不會洩露持票者隱私。”任弘舟說，奧運會後，存在服務器上的個人資訊，也將被銷毀。 驗票機被盜將失去功能 他進一步解釋說，每一個終端的驗票機也有惟一的序列號，如果有人偷走驗票機，驗票機就會被列入黑名單，失去驗票功能。為了防止足球流氓，這種實名制的RFID門票技術曾經試圖在德國世界盃上使用，但是因為沒有辦法搜集到完整的持票人資訊，最後實名制並未實現。RFID技術在德國世界盃上，單純成了球票的防偽手段。晶片的研發大約需要一年時間，雖然投入很大，但是任弘舟說，按照1200多萬張門票計算，每張晶片的價格在5元以內。 2004年雅典奧運會沒有使用RFID技術，一方面是技術還不成熟，另一方面成本也比現在高得多。 攝像頭幫助驗票員快速“辨臉” 奧運會開閉幕式進場驗票時，一隻攝像頭將在觀眾刷票時閃動快門。在驗票員的螢幕上，不僅會出現門票對應的信息，持票人此時的頭像也會出現在螢幕上，通過顯示屏比對兩張照片是否一致，加快了驗票速度。任弘舟說：“攝像頭本來是安裝在顯示屏的上方，但是我們發現觀眾在驗票的一瞬間，總是喜歡低著頭，所以正在考慮是否要將攝像頭的位置安裝在刷票區的下面，目前正在與奧組委協商。” 根據該公司提供的資料，如果門票無法正常讀取，將通過在設備上增加的小鍵盤，錄入票面序列號來檢索出購票人詳細信息，解決了無法讀取門票晶片的問題。第二階段奧運門票銷售今啟動第二階段奧運門票銷售將於今日再次啟動，近180萬張奧運會體育賽事門票和4.7萬張殘奧會開、閉幕式門票將同時接受預訂。根據調整後的銷售政策，門票訂單提交不分先後，門票的最終歸屬將在訂購截止後統一抽簽決定，確保購票人有公平的機會買到門票，因此市民可在預訂期內從容申購，不必紮堆搶訂。官方票務網站訂單提交截止時間為12月30日24：00；中國銀行指定門票代售網點的訂單提交截止時間為12月30日17：00。在銀行訂票需要提交本人的身份證。訂票人在提交訂單時不需同時付款，待抽簽結束後，北京奧組委將公佈中簽結果並委託中國銀行扣款。申購人可通過官方票務網站或票務呼叫中心查詢抽簽和扣款結果。購票管道：北京2008年奧運會官方票務網站（www.tickets.beijing2008.cn）北京奧組委指定的1000家中國銀行門票代售點。艾宇驗票流程奧運門票就像公交IC卡一樣，觀眾只需持票在驗票機上一刷，1/10秒內就能辨出真偽。每張門票上都有晶片（長寬僅1毫米），且對應一個序列號，刷卡後自動尋找驗票機裏的購票人信息。每一個終端的驗票機也有惟一的序列號，如果有人偷走驗票機，驗票機就會被列入黑名單，失去驗票功能。門票的防偽晶片內並不含個人資訊，而是以全球惟一的序列號，在終端驗票機上對應個人的照片、姓名、國籍、身份證號碼等資料。觀眾通過驗票口時，在驗票機的螢幕上，不僅會出現門票對應的信息，持票人此時的頭像也會出現在螢幕上。驗票員甚至可以不抬頭，就能通過顯示屏比對兩張照片是否一致，加快了驗票速度。揉成團再“淋浴”仍有效奧運門票驗證 門票“百折不撓”的功力到底有多深厚？ 任弘舟向記者描述了國際奧委會技術官員檢驗門票質量的一幕：先橫著折，再豎著折，再放進褲子的後兜裏，一屁股坐在了椅子上，這時候門票已經“慘不忍睹”。 “看著已經扭曲成一團的門票，我真擔心過不了關。”任弘舟說，但他聽到“嘟”的一聲，驗票機順利識別出了門票。可是，專家們依然“不依不饒”，順手拿起一瓶礦泉水，把這張票澆了個透心涼，甩了甩，往驗票機上一放，門票仍然驗證通過。任弘舟說，外國專家有些難以置信，追問是不是在驗票機上裝了紅外線感應裝置，只要靠近就會發出響聲。北京奧組委的技術官員上前解釋了其中的原理，並讓他們對著陽光看票內的導線。專家們將天線從中間撕斷，再靠近驗票機的時候，就沒有了“嘟”聲。與奧運門票內的RFID技術類似的晶片，已經大範圍的應用在第二代身份證上，任弘舟說，票面就這麼大，晶片做得越小，折到的幾率就越小。於是，工作團隊將晶片微縮成長寬1毫米左右，這樣微縮還減少了成本。晶片小了，但晶片周圍仍然有一圈一圈用於感應驗票頻率的天線。“天線的面積是晶片的幾千倍，有一處斷了，整個票也就成了廢品。”任弘舟說，後來他們就用“銀漿”把線印刷在票上。製作過程中還增加晶片和導線外部封裝的質量。任弘舟說，晶片和導線將都密封在奧運紙質門票內的固定位置，方便志願者引導觀眾驗票。但他提醒市民，雖然門票不怕折，並且具有防水功能，但是還是請市民們妥善保管門票，晶片損壞門票則作廢。 奧運門票實戰 測試賽無一假票過關在此前舉行的“好運北京”係列賽中，奧運門票RFID技術首次接受實戰考驗。為檢驗門票效果，奧組委設計的“難關”讓事先不知情的任弘舟連出冷汗。“刷這張票，怎麼驗票機沒反應？”任弘舟說，世青賽剛開始沒多久，一位持票人的門票就被驗出假票。一會兒工夫，又有幾個人所持的門票查出了“錯票”。在8月份的摔跤世青賽開賽之前，奧組委從該公司拿了4000多張晶片，用於製作RFID門票。“我們提供的門票晶片都是檢驗合格的，怎麼會出現錯票呢？”雖然對公司設計的驗票係統信心十足，但面對擺在眼前的問題，任弘舟出了一身冷汗。 “原來奧組委專門製作了一批‘假票’用於檢驗，”回憶起這件事，任弘舟顯得很得意，“有的假票根本沒裝晶片，有的裝了其他公司的晶片，有的雖然裝了我們公司的晶片，但不是摔跤比賽的序列號區間。結果所有的假票都被驗出來了，正確率100%。”